SAE 05 SFL-37

LUBRICANT OIL BEHAVIOR SUBMITTED TO DIFFERENT

OPERATING PARAMETERS
Marcos Batista Garcia
Andr Sperl
Jeferson de Lima

International Engines South America

Copyright 2005 SAE International

ABSTRACT
tth

Since the second half of the 20 century it has

been great challenges in engines development, with
more compact vehicles and the use of new lubricant oil
and fuel technologies associated to increased power,
performance and consequently the reduction of the
emissions levels. By tribology view, science and
technology that study the interaction between surfaces in
relative motion, it means an increase of specific loads,
speeds and temperatures in engine components
(1)
submitted to friction .
This work studies the behavior of lubricant oil
SAE 15W40 between tribological pairs of three different
surfaces treatments technologies against standard ring
of gray casting iron. It was used a bench test with block
on ring geometry modified and unidirectional sliding
movement utilized to evaluate the wear mechanisms,
friction and lubrication of the piston ring-cylinder bore of
internal combustion engines.
The tribological bench tests showed the
variation of structural, interfaces and functions
parameters, without the utilization of fuel and
consequently not presence of combustion. The results of
the lubricant oil analysis were attended through statistics
software that determines the main effect and
interactions, as well as the evaluation of the worn surface
appearance for different operating conditions.

of lubrication modes, during each working cycle, like its

showed in the Figure 1 below in the modified Stribeck
(2)
Diagram .
In hydrodynamic lubrication, load or pressure is
supported essentially by lubricant film, and the contact
characteristics are influenced by lubricant properties. In
case of boundary lubrication, films adhesion occurs on
loaded surfaces. Otherwise in mixed regime, both
lubricant film and surfaces support the load and both
influence the contact characteristics. In this regime,
higher is the load supported by the contacts, higher will
be the probabilities for wear development.

INTRODUCTION
The trends in engine design indicate that
tomorrows engines will demand a great compromise
from their lube systems. They will require small package
size and low weight, ample pressure for bearing
lubrication and ample flow for turbo, efficient piston
cooling while maintaining low power consumption from
the pump.
The tribological condition of the whole group
piston ring-cylinder bore, valve train and engine bearings
caused a better comprehension on the different concepts

Figure 1 The modified Stribeck diagram indicates

the lubrication mode for each tribological pairs (2).
Engine tests have shown that the oil film
thickness in the liner-piston contact, depends on critically
of the temperature related with the oil viscosity and
hence, its sensitive to the engine speed and torque
output conditions.

Decreasing viscosity for improving the fuel

economy by reducing the mechanical friction under
hydrodynamic conditions will cause simultaneously
increased areas of mixed film lubrication regimes. As
consequence, the higher wear has to be taken into
account. Therefore, a balance between improved fuel
economy on one side and increasing wear by lower
(3)
viscosities on the other side has to be established .
The figure 2 illustrate the properties of two
mated solids influencing friction and wear during sliding
contact. Surface roughness and texturing, which
depends on the fabrication method, belong to the microgeometrical pairing properties. While load, sliding speed,
vibration, shape and dimensions of the mated solids
belong to the loading and macro-geometrical properties.
The tribochemical properties of the surfaces,
such as absorbed atoms, amount and type of surface
films, chemical reactivity and thermal and electrical
conductivity are not independent of environment
properties such as lubricants, humidity, temperature,
composition and partial pressure of the gaseous
atmosphere. Otherwise, sliding wear is significantly
(4)
influenced by metallurgical properties .

Figure 2 Properties of two mated solids influencing

(4)
friction and wear during sliding contact .
There are three primary paths for oil
consumption: system of power cylinder, engine overhead
and PCV. The system that mostly receives the blame for
oil consumption and consequently the attention is the
power cylinder. The piston ring-cylinder liner plays an
important role on the influence of power generating;
lubricant consumption and component wear life.
Parallel reductions in the rate of oil consumption
and detailed metallurgical modifications became hard to
establish a phenomenological link, between soot and
wear. Meanwhile, its commonly believed that good
dispersion control is a prerequisite of wear performance
(5) (6)

Lubrication is one of the most important

demands, and with fundamental influence on wear
mechanisms. If a continuous oil film is present, the
friction wear will be neglected. However, with the

cracking of oil film, the several wear will occur in TDC

region, due to speed inversion of the pair ring-piston,
causing a depression and polishing of this region, mostly
observed in Diesel engines.
Bench test utilizing Electric motor driven engine,
promotes lower load, due to combustion absence and
consequently lower wear along piston course and also in
the TDC region, compared to dynamometer test. It was
observed typical wear in bench test, with the presence
lube residues (detected by EDX analysis) plastic
deformation and scratching on both ring and bore worn
(7)
surfaces .
Some contaminations are difficult to detect as
following viscosity trends in the oil may indirectly monitor
particulate. The table I shows some techniques to
analysis of oil lube particles.
Table I Summary of the particle
characterization techniques (8).
Technique

Particle Size Range

Particle Types

Spectroscopy

Angstroms to about
2-3 micrometers

Wear metals,
silicon and soot

Screen Blockage

5 and greater
micrometers

No differentiation

Ferrography, Direct
and Analytical

1 and greater
micrometers

Iron wear debris

As lubricating oil deteriorates with use,

contaminants in the oil build up over time. These
contaminants include both chemical constituents such as
oil oxidation products and acids due to combustion
gases and particulate constituents such as dust and dirt
from external sources.
Organic material may be implicated in filter
plugging and ring and liner deposits. This organic
plugging of filters is one of the most important limitations
on service intervals when the restriction across the filters
becomes too high. This can result in bypassing
contaminants and accelerated wear. Sources of internal
inorganic contamination are usually from core sand and
also residuals from the casting process, which are not
completely washed away before engine assembly. This
sand is generally flushed from the system after the first
several oil drains, but contributes to the high rate of wear
(9)
during the break-in of a new engine .

LUBE OIL BEHAVIOR DURING BENCH TEST

Bench test are generally performed through
severe conditions compared to engine operating
conditions. The test conditions and contact geometry are
quite different from real situation, but there are
advantages regarding to time and tribological variable
monitoring.

Initially the bench test condition were chosen

close to engine operating conditions at TDC (mixed
lubrication mode), i.e., high temperature, load produced
by combustion pressure and low velocity like the
following condition at 100C, 13 MPa (~ 334N) and 0,5
m/sec. The other test conditions were chosen increasing
or decreasing the initial values depending on the
machine capacity.
The bench tests were performed in Falex
equipment, with block on ring modified geometry, to fix a
piston ring segment with approximately 10mm, tested
against a standard test ring of perlitic grey cast iron, with
mean hardness of 98HRB, diameter of 35mm and
grinded with roughness of 0,6 m RA. The scheme of
Figure 3, shows the equipment
and the assembly
condition of the ring segment at test block partially
lubricated (counterpart semi-bath). The lubricant used
was the SAE 15W40 API CE, category that changed
the market in multiviscous class. The physic-chemic
characteristics were analyzed before the tests, and the
results are described below:
TAN
TBN
Viscosity to 40C
Flash point

= 2,15 mg KOH/g
= 7,39 mg KOH/g
= 102,9 cSt
= 216C

Figure 3 Assembly Scheme of Falex equipment

modified for bench test
The tribological bench test allows the variation of
structural, interface and function parameters as indicated
in table II.
TABLE II - BENCH TESTS PARAMETERS
Structural
Interface
Functional
Load
Geometrical*
Lube oil
Speed
Surface treatments
15W40*
Oil Temperature
*similar characteristics for all experiments

The experiment planning was divided in two factorial

experiments with L12 arrangement and the parameters
are indicated in Table III. (5 repeat to each experiment)
1) Load and speed
temperature 100C

(2 )

and

material

(3 )

2) Load and temperature (2 ) and material (3 )

speed 273 rpm

Table III Planning of wear bench tests

Test

Load (N)

Speed (rpm)

Temperature (C)

Surface Treatment

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

334
334
334
334
334
334
334
334
334
667
667
667
667
667
667

273
273
273
273
273
273
820
820
820
273
273
273
273
273
273

25
25
25
100
100
100
100
100
100
25
25
25
100
100
100

Plasma Spray

16
17
18

667
667
667

820
820
820

100
100
100

Gas Nitriding
Chromium Plating
Plasma Spray
Gas Nitriding
Chromium Plating
Plasma Spray
Gas Nitriding
Chromium Plating
Plasma Spray
Gas Nitriding
Chromium Plating
Plasma Spray
Gas Nitriding
Chromium Plating
Plasma Spray
Gas Nitriding
Chromium Plating

Load Assuming that the normal load, generated by

contact pressure is the sum of load variations during a
working cycle, when the thickness of oil film is lower then
the minimum thickness for hydrodynamic lubrication.
Then it has the border condition to establish contact
between two surfaces, and consequently the wear.
Speed This factor is important to determine changes in
contact surfaces. On superficial oxides formation, as the
sliding speed increases, lower is the time for oxide
formation, improving the superficial temperature, helping
the dissipation of weak protection films presents on the
surface, or also improving the oxidation reaction
depending of other conditions like lubricate quality and
load regimes.
Temperature In determined conditions, occurs the
dissipation of protection films, however accelerating
oxides formation and protecting the contact surface. In
lower temperatures, there is no quick formation of
oxides, then no such film dissipation. Although if the
temperature is ideal for film dissipation, so without a
quick enough oxide formation, the surface would be
unprotected and a stronger worn should occur by the
adhesion mechanism.
Materials The top piston ring is applied for high
performance application so the surface treatments of
Plasma Spray (Mo) achieving 400HV, Gas Nitriding
(Nitret) achieving 1100HV and Chromium Plating (Cr
comp) achieving 980 HV are used, all containing hard
particles dissipated.

In the analyses to verify lubricant oil behavior

were utilized Physical-chemical method to analyses
viscosity at 40C and 100C, viscosity index and
TBN/TAN. For metallic particles as Zn and Fe was used
optical absorption spectrophotometer. Oxidation content
was measured by infrared equipment.
To determine the wear mechanisms, like
material adhesion, plastic deformation hard particles
scratching or even surface phenomenon, was used
electronic scanning microscopy with the deep focus
resource and microanalysis system (EDX).
The contact ellipse area at the end of the
tribological test indicates the wear results of surface
treatments of each piston ring segment. The figure 4
illustrates the worn aspect (above piston ring) and the
respective standard test ring after running a distance of
5,5km during the sliding in bench test.

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 4 Appearance of surface treatment and

standard ring after sliding distance of 5,5 km.

STATISTICS ANALYSIS OF RESULTS

The software MINITAB 2000 version XIV
provides various options to data statistical analysis. In
this work was used the multiple comparison method with
a confidence interval of 90%, and experiment planning
techniques to determine the most significant factors.

TBN (Total Base Number) Indicates the effective

alkaline reserve of the lubricant oil. In Figure 7 is
observed a decrease of TBN values, when tested in
lower temperatures, most probable due to air humidity to
this condition.
Figure 7

MAIN EFFECTS AND INTERATIONS

Viscosity to 40C The figure 5 show the temperature
increasing, followed by the oxidation, and consequently
higher viscosity index, mostly when using lower loads,
the same behavior was noticed to 100C viscosity. The
oxidation reaction can be helped by other parameters
such as lubricant oil characteristics and load condition.
Viscosity Index The viscosity variation is less noticed
when using a superficial treatment with the Plasma
Spray process, for the Gas Nitriding and Chromium
Plating is observed a larger variation for different load
conditions, as showed in Figure 6.
Zinc - This element is presence in anti-wear and
oxidation inhibitor chemical know as ZDP (zinc
dithophosphate) of the lubricant oil. In Figure 8 is

observed with the speed increasing, lower are the Zinc

values, contained in the oxide film formation between the
contact surfaces (lubricant residual).

Figure 10
! "

!"

Figure 8

Figure 11

Iron Present mostly on cast iron of the standard test

ring and also in the Gas Nitriding superficial treatment.
The figure 9 indicates that increasing the load, higher is
the presence of Iron in the lubricant oil, due action of
some wear mechanism associated to temperature
increase the quantity of this element is even higher.
Figure 9

Scratching Level (Abrasion) The Figure 10 shows that

speed increment results in soft scratching level
increased, this is most evident in the Gas Nitriding
superficial treatment. The Figure 11 shows the
scratching level on the worn region of the Gas Nitriding
surface.

Lubricant Residual The Figure 12 shows that

superficial treatment Chromium Plating reveals higher
quantity of oil lubricant residue (protective films), in
comparison to other technologies. The Figure 13 shows
the lubricant residue in the worn region of the surface
treatment Chromium Plating. EDX analysis of lubricant
residual in the worn bore surface shows elements as Zn,
Ca, Mg from oil additives.

Figure 12

Figure 15
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CONCLUSIONS

Figure 13

The bench tests indicated variations on lubricant

oil behavior and also in wear on both technologies of
superficial treatment, even with the combustion absence
could be observed effects and significant interactions
due to operating conditions.
The combustion provides the tribochemical
mechanism allied to the corrosive and oxidative wear
determined by load factors and sliding speed, with the
variation of lubrication regime mostly in the TDC region.

REFERENCES

Between the surface treatments of the piston

ring segment, the higher worn was observed in the mode
13, using 667N, 273rpm e 100C with Plasma spray
coating, while the modes 5 and 6 showed lower worn
with surface treatments of Chromium plating and Gas
Nitriding respectively, both in 334N, 273rpm and 100C
condition, that indicates a large influence in load
parameters and oil lubricant temperature. The figures 14
and 15 show the effects relative to wear for each
technology of superficial treatment.
Figure 14
%! %

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Wear Mechanisms Behavior of Different Surface
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th
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